The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is Australia's national transport safety investigator. The ATSB's function is to improve safety and public confidence in the aviation, marine and rail modes of transport. The ATSB is Australia's prime agency for the independent investigation of civil aviation, rail and maritime accidents, incidents and safety deficiencies.

Media release

The ATSB is leading this safety investigation with the
assistance of a number of other organisations and agencies,
including the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, The
National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation
Administration of the USA, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of
Australia and Qantas and Boeing.

Yesterday the aircraft was moved to a hangar. This will provide
a safer and more optimal working environment for the investigation
team.

The remainder of the freight on the aircraft has been
progressively examined and removed from around the area of the
rupture. This has allowed the investigation team full access to the
area. The team have also been examining and clearing the area
adjacent to the disrupted right cabin door.

The investigation team are in the process of examining the
interior of the cabin including the onboard oxygen system, the
passenger masks and portable crew oxygen cylinders. The aircraft
outer panels around the ruptured area have also been removed.

A number of components and parts of components are being
retained for further examination and analysis at the ATSB
engineering facilities in Canberra.

Last night the aircraft cockpit voice recorder (CVR), which
records crew conversations, radio traffic and cockpit ambient
sounds, was downloaded by ATSB specialists in Canberra.
Unfortunately, the standard two hour recording which works on an
endless loop principle did not contain the event. The oldest
recording commences after the descent and diversion into Manila, so
the event itself appears to have been overwritten. However, the
information that has been captured on the CVR may provide valuable
insights into the flight crew's handling of the situation following
the depressurisation.

The aircraft flight data recorder (FDR), which nominally records
25 hours of data, is being downloaded today at the ATSB Canberra
facilities. The specialist team should know in the next day or two
if the recording contains valid data.

The investigation team plan to continue the examination and
collection of evidence from the aircraft. ATSB investigators in
Australia are gathering data from the operator. Interviews with
both flight crew and cabin crew are being conducted today in
Melbourne.

A reminder that the ATSB requests that any passengers that
experienced issues during the flight, or those who photographed or
videoed the incident, contacts us via email at atsbinfo@atsb.gov.au